Respectfully enjoying the Grand Canyon

What is Leave No Trace?

If you’ve spent any time in the back country in the last ten years you are probably familiar with the term and hopefully you know and adhere to these principles. Simply stated, Leave No Trace Principles are a set of guidelines that help ensure that when we leave the wilderness after a hike or backpacking trip, there is no sign that we were there.

These principles have their beginnings back in the 1970’s and 80’s as means to manage the impact that camping and hiking in the backcountry.

Over the years, they have been formalized and today they are managed by the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics which promotes the education of these principles throughout the country.  The center works in cooperation with The National Park Service, National Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management and the US Fish and Wildlife Service.

Here is the condensed version of the seven Leave No Trace Principles. The actual descriptions are much more detailed than this.

• Plan Ahead and Prepare: Have the right gear and information to minimize your impact on the environment.
• Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces: Hike and camp on surfaces that minimize impact.
• Dispose of Waste Properly: If you pack it in; pack it out. This includes human waste in some cases.
• Leave What You Find: Do not disturb historic sights and don’t take rocks or plants home.
• Minimize Campfire Impacts: Use stoves for cooking and know local fire regulations.
• Respect Wildlife: Don’t feed the animals and observe them from a distance.
• Be Considerate of Other Visitors: Yield to other hikers when appropriate and respect your camping neighbors.

At first these principles may seem more of a nuisance than helpful but think about it this way. We don’t like it when we have to clean up after someone else at home or work so wouldn’t we feel the same if we had to clean up someone else’s trash at a campsite. If we all do our part, the wilderness experience becomes better for everyone.

For more information and even workshops on how to enjoy the wilderness without a trace, go to www.LNT.org.